Comparators
Total Percentage Dorset Council England and Wales
All Persons 91,387 - 389,947 61,806,682
All Males 43,932 48.1% 48.5% 49.0%
All Females 47,455 51.9% 51.5% 51.0%
0-15 yrs 13,606 14.9% 14.9% 18.3%
16-64 yrs 48,281 52.8% 54.6% 62.8%
65+ yrs 29,500 32.3% 30.5% 18.9%
Male 0-15 yrs 6,916 7.6% 7.6% 9.4%
Male 16-64 yrs 23,504 25.7% 26.8% 31.0%
Male 65+ yrs 13,512 14.8% 14.1% 8.7%
Female 0-15 yrs 6,690 7.3% 7.3% 8.9%
Female 16-64 yrs 24,777 27.1% 27.8% 31.9%
Female 65+ yrs 15,988 17.5% 16.4% 10.2%

Show Male/Female individual age breakdown

Source: Mid Year Estimates (2024), Office for National Statistics

Change Birth Rate per 1,000
2005 - 7.3
2006 -2.7% 7.1
2007 7.0% 7.6
2008 0% 7.6
2009 0% 7.6
2010 -3.9% 7.3
2011 0% 7.3
2012 4.1% 7.6
2013 -5.3% 7.2
2014 -1.4% 7.1
2015 1.4% 7.2
2016 2.8% 7.4
2017 -1.4% 7.3
2018 0% 7.3
2019 -5.5% 6.9
2020 5.8% 7.3
2021 5.5% 7.7
2022 -7.8% 7.1
2023 -7.0% 6.6
2024 0% 6.6
Change Death Rate per 1,000
2005 - 11.4
2006 2.6% 11.7
2007 -2.6% 11.4
2008 0.9% 11.5
2009 -6.1% 10.8
2010 2.8% 11.1
2011 6.3% 11.8
2012 -5.9% 11.1
2013 0% 11.1
2014 5.4% 11.7
2015 4.3% 12.2
2016 -5.7% 11.5
2017 10.4% 12.7
2018 1.6% 12.9
2019 0% 12.9
2020 -1.6% 12.7
2021 2.4% 13.0
2022 -2.3% 12.7
2023 9.4% 13.9
2024 -3.6% 13.4

Source: Office for National Statistics


94.7%

White British

5.3%

BME (black and minority ethnic population)

Source: 2021 Census, Office for National Statistics.


NINO Registrations

National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK

NINO Data only available at National and Unitary level. View NINO Data for Dorset Council


Religion

% Christian 52.9%
% Non-Christian 1.5%
% No religion 39.6%
% Religion not stated 6%

Source: 2021 Census, Office for National Statistics.


Country of Birth

Country of Birth data is only available at National and Unitary level.


Health

81.6% of residents reported having very good or good health.

% Very Good Health 46.3%
% Good Health 35.3%
% Fair Health 13.7%
% Bad Health 3.6%
% Very Bad Health 1.1%

Source: 2021 Census, Office for National Statistics.


Unpaid care

10.0% of residents aged 5 and over provide unpaid care.

7.1%

Residents aged 5 and over providing up to 50 hours of unpaid care per week

2.9%

Residents aged 5 and over providing more than 50 hours of unpaid care per week


Communal establishments

0.8% of residents live in communal establishments.

Source: 2021 Census, Office for National Statistics.


MOSAIC

Mosaic is a socio-demographic data set that segments households into particular groups based upon their characteristics. It is used to gain a deeper understanding of residents, their beliefs, preferences and lifestyles Learn more

The highest proportion of residents are classified as
Prestige Positions (27%)

Followed by
Senior Security (23.1%)

And then
Country Living (10.6%)

Source: Mosaic 2021, EXPERIAN


Living Arrangements

All Households 38,853
% of households with one person 66+ or couple/family all aged 66+ 36%
% of households married or same sex civil partnership with/without dependents* 32.9%
% of households cohabiting with/without dependents* 8.8%
% of households lone parents* 7.5%
% all others** 14.9%

* may include members aged 66+, but not all

** may include households all aged 66+ but not a family

Source: 2021 Census, Office for National Statistics.


Tenure

% Owner Occupied 79.9%
% Public Rented 8.5%
% Private Rented 11.5%
% Other 0%

Source: 2021 Census, Office for National Statistics.


Dwelling type

Detached 59.6%
Semi-Detached 15.7%
Terraced 9.9%
Flats/Maisonettes 12.5%
Mobile Homes/Caravans 2.2%

Source: 2021 Census, Office for National Statistics.


% no cars or vans in household9.8%
% 2 or more cars or vans in a household53.2%

Source: 2021 Census, Office for National Statistics.


Local business units

Total Percentage
Total businesses 4,455 -
Construction 820 18.41%
Wholesale, retail and repair 700 15.71%
Professional, scientific and technical activities 620 13.92%
Administrative and support service activities 345 7.74%
Manufacturing 320 7.18%
Information and communications 240 5.39%
Accommodation and food services 215 4.83%
Human heath and social work activites 205 4.60%
Real estate activities 195 4.38%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing 140 3.14%
Financial and insurance activities 110 2.47%
Transportation and storage 105 2.36%
Arts, entertainment and recreation 105 2.36%
Education 95 2.13%
Water, sewerage and waste management 30 0.67%
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security 30 0.67%
Electricity, gas, steam and air 10 0.22%
Mining and quarrying 0 0.00%

Source: UK Business: Activity, Size and Location (2025), ONS


Business size bands

Total businesses 4,455 -
Micro (0 to 9 employees) 3,810 85.52%
Small (10 to 49 employees) 550 12.35%
Medium (50 to 249 employees) 85 1.91%
Large (250+ employees) 5 0.11%

Source: UK Business: Activity, Size and Location (2025), ONS


Employment of workers by sector

These figures exclude farm agriculture.

Total Percentage
All industries 33,000 -
Wholesale, retail and repair 5,000 15.15%
Manufacturing 4,500 13.64%
Human heath and social work activites 4,000 12.12%
Construction 3,000 9.09%
Professional, scientific and technical activities 3,000 9.09%
Accommodation and food services 2,500 7.58%
Education 2,250 6.82%
Administrative and support service activities 1,750 5.30%
Arts, entertainment and recreation 1,700 5.15%
Information and communications 1,500 4.55%
Transportation and storage 800 2.42%
Real estate activities 800 2.42%
Financial and insurance activities 600 1.82%
Public administration and defence; compulsory social security 500 1.52%
Water, sewerage and waste management 225 0.68%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing 75 0.23%
Electricity, gas, steam and air 25 0.08%
Mining and quarrying 0 0.00%

Source: BRES (2024), ONS


Claimant unemployment

These figures refer to the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance plus those who claim Universal Credit who are out of work.

Date RangeAvg. Number of ClaimantsAvg. Rate of Claimants
October 2024 to December 20249401.9%
January 2025 to March 20259251.9%
April 2025 to June 20259101.9%
July 2025 to September 20259001.9%

Source: Office for National Statistics


Skills

38,964

All usual residents aged 16 and over in Employment (includes students in employment)

49.8%

High skill occupation

38.2%

Intermediate skill occupation

12%

Low skill occupation

Source: 2021 Census, Office for National Statistics.


Gross weekly full time earnings

Earnings data is only available at National and Unitary level.


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